RMN'S Blog

San Francisco Battles Sugar

Date:August 10, 2015

Starbucks is coming under fire due to San Francisco’s rising battle against sugary beverages. According to the city’s board of supervisors, they are currently in the process of approving a law that will require a health warning to be placed on advertisements for sodas and other sugary drinks. This new law will mostly target Starbuck’s Frappuccinos, which can have anywhere from 30 to 80 grams of sugar per cup.

The benefit of placing warning labels on sugary beverages is to inform consumers of the potential health risk they can cause, from diabetes to heart disease over time. It is similar to the warning labels on all cigarette packaging. The warnings will have to state that the added sugars within the product can contribute to diabetes, tooth decay, and obesity.

San Francisco’s government is not the first to try to take a stand against sugary beverages. Last year, the New York Court of appeals tried to pass a law banning large sugary drinks sold to consumers, but the law did not pass. The San Francisco lawmakers also tried to pass a law in November that would add a tax on soda, but was rejected. The nearby city of Berkeley passed a tax that applies to the sugary syrups used at Starbucks and other cafes in their blended drinks, so there is a possibility that this law may pass.

The creation of this law isn’t supposed deter sales of Frappuccinos and other sugary beverages. It is to ensure the public knows of these health risks, in hopes that they will make healthier choices. Passing on knowledge is the best way for the American people to change unhealthy habits, especially since there is a growing number of obesity and eating disorder cases across the country. We will have to wait and see if San Francisco’s sugar warning campaign will make its citizens more health conscious in the future.